The Heart That Never Lets Go
by petiteshima
Summary: "I love you." And suddenly, because of three little words, it suddenly got all the more harder for the bride to let go.


**Hello! This is my third Gruvia one-shot but this time it's _angst_; because I love angst. I apologize in advance for any OOC-ness e.t.c! Enjoy reading~**

_**Disclaimer - I don't own Fairy Tail or anything to do with it, all of it belongs to Hiro Mashima apart from this one-shot's plot~**_

* * *

Today was the day.

Juvia Lockser stood before the full length mirror, a "vision in white" as Mirajane had so rightly said to the already blushing bride. The water mage reached out and touched the mirror, not quite believing that the woman staring back with wide, blue eyes was _her_, in an actual wedding dress. The strapless dress hugged her curvaceous figure right down to her thighs before spreading out around her, in a skirt with the re-embroidered lace and taffeta fabrics that almost resembled waves in the ocean when she moved. And approximately seven meters away from her was a set of mahogany double doors, and behind those doors, around twenty five or even thirty meters away was her fiancé, her soon-to-be husband. He was probably already at the altar, making small talk with the priest and greeting guests as they arrived, all of them waiting to see her walk down the aisle.

The rain continued to fall from the sky outside.

Her hand went instinctively to the crystal tear drop hung around her neck; jewellery was limited to not divert attention from the main attraction, which was the dress. Today was the day she would start anew, a new beginning. She had constantly told herself, leading up to today, that this was for the best; a clean slate was what she needed – but was it what she wanted?

Juvia shook her head, but stopped upon realising she would ruin her hair that Lucy's celestial spirit, Cancer, had done. It wasn't anything too extravagant; it was in loose curls that fell down her back like a waterfall, which she assumed was the intended effect. Lucy had insisted that Cancer could do something more special for the occasion, such a hairdo that wasn't as similar to how her hair naturally looked like. However, Juvia had declined, declaring that he liked her natural hair, and so that was what it should be like for the day he took her hand in marriage, the day she made him the happiest man alive.

But what about her happiness?

A frustrated sigh escaped the bluenette's parted lips as she rested her forehead against the mirror, her eyes squeezed shut as she forced such thoughts out of her mind; she couldn't think like this when she would be walking down the aisle in mere minutes! _'Get yourself together Juvia!'_ She chided herself, _'Today is the beginning of your new life, dwelling on the past is unhealthy.'_

And then, there was a knock at the door.

Juvia straightened herself, lifting her face away from the mirror as she turned to the double doors. Perhaps it was Lucy, her maid of honour, coming to wish her luck once more. Maybe it was Gajeel, coming to once again make her promise that if 'that god damn stripper' did anything to hurt her, then she would tell him at once so that he could 'beat the crap out of the bastard'; without a choice, Juvia had agreed.

However, her gut feeling told her that it wasn't either of them; it was _him_.

"C-come in!" she called, mentally cursing herself for stuttering. It bewildered her that he still had this effect on her, after all these years. Her hand clenched around the crystal around her neck, her oceanic eyes finding the floor as the door opened and _he_ stepped in.

"Juvia are you re—" he cut off at once upon seeing her, his unfinished question hanging in the air as she could do nothing but allow her eyes to leave the carpet and latch onto his face, the face of Gray Fullbuster.

"You look…whoa," was all he could say, the ice make mage's mouth hung open slightly, his eyes fixed on her and only her, unfamiliar emotions passing across his face until he settled with 'awe'.

"It's bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony," Juvia said, not able to stop the light flush that was creeping across her face under his stare.

"That only applies to the groom," Gray retorted, his expression twisting slightly as he continued, "and I'm just the best man."

Juvia's flush deepened upon realising her mistake, a mumbled "Oh, yes," from her mouth before silence filled the room.

To the right of the room, against the wall, was a grandfather clock, counting down the seconds, minutes and hours of the day with every 'tick, tock'.

Tick.

'_Say something Juvia!'_

_Tock._

'_Now is the chance!'_

Tick.

'_Let go, let go, let go!'_

_Tock._

Before she could open her mouth, Gray saved her from the silence, "We've got a few minutes before we need to go." Juvia's mouth closed again and she nodded; both she and Gray had to arrive at the altar together because he would be the one giving her away. Juvia had been about to ask Gajeel, but Gray had insisted that he would be the one to do it, so she had agreed.

How fitting it was, for the man she had once loved so dearly – she still did, who was she kidding? – to hand her over to the man who loved her with all his heart, and somehow she loved him too.

He was finally handing her heart over, after years of having it and doing nothing with it, and now he was giving it to someone who had already devoted his own heart to her. No longer will her compassion lie desolate and ignored, it will be loved.

And right now, that was all she wanted; the pain of unrequited love to leave her, for her soul, body and mind to be cleansed of the ache that had been her companion for far too long.

A cough pulled Juvia from her thoughts, the owner slightly miffed that she was as good as ignoring him. The Fairy Tail female managed a nervous, to her ears, giggle, as she noticed Gray fiddling with the cobalt tie he wore, most likely, involuntarily, "Juv—I can see that you're struggling to keep your clothes on, Gray," both habits had worn away over time, the third person speech and the darling 'Gray-sama' that Juvia had only ever called the raven haired man.

He grunted, practically yanking the length of silk material now, only making it tighter, "Cana tied this too fucking tight and now it's practically choking me." Juvia couldn't help but giggle once more as Gray muttered profanities about the fortune teller who had helped him with his tie as he had apparently no idea how to wear it.

"Let me have a look at it," she said, closing the distance between them with quick steps, almost as if she was gliding across the floor. Her pale hands replaced his, which fell to his sides, working to loosen the knot that used to resemble a tie before Gray had begun to fiddle with it. "There," Juvia said once she had fixed his tie, "it's not as tight as before but it still looks like a tie." Her gaze shifted to the silent man's face, hoping for perhaps thankfulness or even a sarcastic comment; anything _but_ the blank expression he wore as she looked up.

His onyx stare was fixed on the necklace around her neck.

"You're wearing it…" his mumbled words, despite his soft, husky tone, cut through the air like a knife. The bride's hands left the slightly creased silken tie, manoeuvring to the said item of jewellery; _his_ gift to her for her 21st birthday three years ago.

"I always wear it," she retorted, her voice shaking ever so slightly; she had shamelessly worn it no matter what, with every date with Lyon, every kiss, every touch – the teardrop was ever present for it all.

That was the thing about Juvia Lockser; she had no shame.

"…But I can't anymore."

And the thing about Lyon Bastia, her fiancé; he was selfless. He was there for every tear she shed over the man standing right in front of her now. He had been there to offer her a handkerchief, a shoulder to cry on. Then, as time had passed, he had been there for her to love, to feel cherished, to feel _wanted_. For her, that was what she needed. She had craved to be held in a warm embrace, to be treasured by a man who would do anything for her, anything at all.

Even if that meant being second place in her heart.

And so, her hands went to the clasp of the necklace, her nimble fingers working to remove it, for her to finally let go. After unclasping the necklace, Juvia held it out towards Gray by each end of the silver chain, the semiprecious rock dangling from the middle. The young man reached out, as if to take the item of jewellery from her.

But his hands found her wrists, locking them in an iron grip.

"Please," Gray's voice was still the same surprisingly soft nature from before, her skin _burned_ under the touch of his vaguely callused hands, "It's _yours_."

He wondered if she understood what he meant, the ambiguity of his words; his heart was hers to keep. Juvia blinked, her eyebrows disappearing under her fringe as what he said, the hidden meaning if you like, settled in. And then, before she could utter another word, he was standing behind her, the necklace now held carefully in his hands and he was putting it around her neck again.

As he moved her hair to one side, Juvia's right hand closed around her left, her knuckles as white as her dress as her engagement ring dug into her palm, the steel blue sapphire gemstone imprinting on her skin. _'Calm down,' _She told herself, struggling to keep her breathing normal, '_this is Gray; he is only putting your necklace on. He won't try anything el—'_

And then she felt the lightest of pressures against the bare skin of her shoulder, she _froze_.

And once again, before she could open her mouth to speak – it seemed Gray wasn't giving her a chance to say anything today – her hair was back in place, the familiar light weight of the crystal around her neck was back; Juvia tried not to dwell on the slight tingle on her left shoulder where she _swore_ she felt his lips brush moments before.

Tick.

And there was the clock again, the hours had become minutes and were fast becoming seconds.

_Tock._

Gray remained behind her, his hands now placed on her slender shoulders, his thumbs lightly caressing the bare skin.

Tick.

It shouldn't be this hard, letting go shouldn't be _this __**hard**__._

_Tock._

"I love you."

And suddenly, because of three little words, it suddenly got all the more harder for the bride to let go.

Her eyes widened, her shoulders tensed under his touch and a question rang through her head; _why __**now?**_

Anger rose in her chest.

It had taken him six years to fall whilst it had been six seconds for her; where was the justice in that?

"E-excuse me?" she breathed, her stammer returning as her voice quivered; with anger or disbelief, she did not know. His breathing picked up again, having seemingly ceased after he had blurted those crucial words. Gray's hands were gone from her shoulders, running them through his raven hair that had been somewhat tamed for the occasion; but of course, a mere plastic comb could hardly restrain the ice make mage's unruly locks for so long.

"Shit," he groaned, the soft pitch gone and replaced by frustration and anger at _himself,_ "I'm sorry Juvia, I wasn't going to say anything but I thought it that maybe I should before it's too late and-."

And Juvia snapped.

"Too _late_," the former Elemental Four woman whispered, her voice strangely stable as she turned to face Gray, "_Too late?"_

And the man standing before her just stared at her, dumbfounded by the surge of emotion, similar to the raging storm outside, rising in the woman's eyes as she turned to face him fully; and all he could do was nod.

"It's _alread_y too late Gray," she said, her voice rising with each word, "_Three_ years too late! In fact, make that _six_ years, counting the three before I started to date Lyon; the three years I spent _pining_ after you!" She thrust her index finger at Gray's chest, hot tears prickling at the corner of her eyes as she shouted at the man she had loved for so long, loved unrequitedly; or so she had thought, "And you choose _today_, the day of my _wedding_, to finally tell me how you feel, and you think it's only too late _now_?"

Gray Fullbuster, with his head in his hands, speaks before Juvia can say anymore, "I've felt this way for nearly four years Juvia, it's not like I woke up this morning and suddenly realised."

But the water mage was only spurred on by his sheer idiocy, "_That just makes it worse Gray!" _She practically shrieked, the more sane part of her hoping that nobody could hear her from outside, "That just means you _wasted_ a whole year before Lyon asked me out for the first time; _why_ did you not say anything?"

"Because," he finally looked up at her, waving a hand towards the item around her neck, "I thought actions spoke louder than words, so I gave you that on your birthday thinking you would at least get a hint!"

"A _hint_? People get presents on their birthdays from _everyone_ Gray," Juvia jabbed a finger at her the crystal tear drop, "To me, it looked like you were just giving me a birthday present like everyone else!"

Gray flinched at her words, hurt etched across his normally calm, nonchalant face. He had went to a lot of trouble to get that necklace; it was worth much more than it appeared to be and a few small missions rewards were dedicated to the purchase of that particular item. He could remember when he gave it to her, not in the most gentlemanly fashion, thrusting the small box towards her and mumbling 'Happy Birthday' whilst she opened it. But the look on her face, the _smile_ when she saw that necklace lying in the box – it was worth every Jewel that he had spent.

But Juvia was soldiering on, the words flying out of her mouth because this would be her last chance to say them, to let them go, "But who could blame me? I can't recall a moment in the time we've known each other that you even indicated that you held such feelings for me! I did _everything_ for you Gray, you probably don't even realise half of the things that I did for you and I wouldn't be surprised. But I've become tired of it all, _sick_ and _tired_ of it all," she was now standing right in front of him, her finger jabbing into his chest, "And it _kills_ me that I still love you, and even though it _hurts, _I still do."

And then, Juvia's voice suddenly became quieter, softer, almost fragile, "But, I love Lyon too. Even if it's not as strong as how I feel about you, it's enough for me to want him to be happy, and for some reason _I_ make him happy. And…he makes me happy too, comfortable and safe," she sighed, the index finger pressed into Gray's chest falling back down to her side, "so much so that I can contently spend the rest of my life with him."

Her head dropped, having said all she wanted to say, waiting for his reaction; would he shout, yell or even cry? Her shoulders tensed as she listened to his breathing, waiting for him to respond.

"I want you to be happy."

And boy did Juvia _look_ at Gray when those words came out of his mouth, her head snapping up so quickly she was surprised she didn't get whiplash in her neck.

At her stunned expression, Gray continued to speak, his black eyes, which had flecks of silver if you looked close enough, never left her blue orbs, "I love you enough to want you to be happy, and when I see you with Lyon that's what you are: happy. Sure I get jealous as hell, but I've stuck it for three years so I suppose I've got it under control," he offered her a smile, one that was tired, subtle yet so full of love that Juvia's heart constricted at the sight, "But seeing you smile, it's enough to keep that jealousy at bay even when I doubt my control over it."

All the bride could manage was a muffled, "Gray…" her hands clasped over her mouth as she just stared at him, enough to make the ice make mage to go red and look away sheepishly.

"That's all I wanted to say," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck before straightening up and cocking his head towards the door, his arm held out for her to take, "Now, I think you've got somewhere to be, right?"

Juvia glanced towards the clock on the far wall to see that Gray was right; it _was_ time. So she hooked her right arm around his left, her hand curling around to rest on his upper arm and with his free arm, he opened one of the double doors.

"Gray?"

"Hm?"

"You know you'll always be my best man, right?"

A quirk of his lips, a sigh escaping from them before he replied, "Right."

* * *

_Something Old_

As they walked down the aisle, Gray's grip on Juvia's hand never slackened, and neither did hers on his arm. Her knees shook ever so slightly as licked her dry lips, each step bringing her closer to the moment he would hand her over to Lyon.

_Something New_

And then she saw Lyon, standing at the altar with the biggest grin on his face, drawing a soft smile from the blushing bride herself. He looked so happy, the emotion dancing in every feature on his face, lighting up the whole room. And his happiness only made Juvia's smile broaden.

_Something Borrowed_

Out of the corner of her eye, Juvia saw that Gajeel was _crying, _Levy was subconsciously rubbing his upper arm, as if to soothe him. She couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the Iron Dragon Slayer's tears; he really was a big softie after all.

_Something Blue_

The rare blue roses formed her bouquet; simple, yet beautiful. Blue was the theme of the wedding; the bridesmaids dresses of Lucy, Meredy and Erza, who all stood to by the altar, watching her just like everyone else was. Although, Erza couldn't help but glance at Gray, a pitiful look in her brown eyes, a look that, if Juvia had looked at her in the second row of pews beside Jellal, Ultear had too.

And then they reached the altar.

Blue eyes met onyx, each one knowing that this was it.

She retracted her arm from around his, allowing him to then hold her hand in his as Lyon stepped forward, his own hand extended to take Juvia's from Gray's.

For a moment, as Juvia's gaze drifted quickly to Gray's from Lyon, she thought he wasn't going to place her hand in the groom's. But then, she felt his hand, his callused skin that burned her skin when he touched her, slowly lift away from hers, squeezing her hand slightly as his touch lingered for a moment.

And then, he let her go.

* * *

**I break my OTPs more than a normal person should. Anyway, I hope you liked this! Special thanks to two different tears for being an awesome beta and sticking my horrid grammar habits! **

**Thank you for reading, drop a review if you wish! I'd love to know what you thought! :D  
**

**~petiteshima  
**


End file.
